MSNBC’s Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough delivered a scathing critique of President Donald Trump’s claims that allegations surrounding Jeffrey Epstein documents constitute a “Democratic hoax,” pointing out the conservative credentials of the news organization breaking the story.
During Tuesday morning’s broadcast, Scarborough dismantled Trump’s defense by emphasizing that the Wall Street Journal, owned by Rupert Murdoch, originally reported the story in July. The host described the publication as “the most conservative, the most powerful conservative media organization on the planet.”
The controversy centers on documents released Monday by the House Oversight Committee, including a card allegedly sent by Trump to mark Epstein’s 50th birthday on January 20, 2003. The card features a crude sketch of a nude woman with Trump’s signature positioned as pubic hair, along with bizarre references to “enigmas” and “wonderful secrets.”
Scarborough emphasized that the reporting comes directly from Murdoch’s media empire, not from Democratic sources or left-wing news organizations. He characterized Trump’s hoax claims as crumbling before supporters’ eyes, given the conservative origin of the reporting.
Co-host Jonathan Lemire questioned the logistics of fabricating such evidence, noting that the documents came directly from Epstein’s estate executors to the oversight committee. Lemire pointed out the implausibility of Democrats planting a birthday card more than two decades ago as part of a long-term conspiracy against Trump.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded to the document release, maintaining that Trump neither drew the picture nor signed it. She characterized the allegations as “fake news” perpetuating what she termed the “Democrat Epstein Hoax.” Trump is currently pursuing a $10 billion lawsuit against the Wall Street Journal over the publication of the letter.
The Wall Street Journal has since published additional reporting examining the signature on the released card, suggesting it bears remarkable resemblance to Trump’s signature from that time period. The newspaper’s analysis adds another layer to the ongoing controversy surrounding the documents’ authenticity.
The House Oversight Committee’s document release also included materials attributed to former President Bill Clinton. A note allegedly signed by Clinton reads about lasting “across all the years of learning and knowing” and references having “childlike curiosity” and “the solace of friends.” Clinton representatives previously declined to comment on the materials when the Wall Street Journal first reported their existence.
Former President Clinton’s spokesperson had previously issued statements clarifying Clinton’s limited interactions with Epstein, confirming four airplane trips between 2002 and 2003 for Clinton Foundation business. The spokesperson emphasized that staff, foundation supporters, and Secret Service detail accompanied Clinton on all trips, and that Clinton had not spoken to Epstein for over a decade prior to Epstein’s death in August 2019.
The documents were compiled as part of Epstein’s infamous “birthday book,” created by his then-girlfriend and accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell. The House Oversight Committee received the materials after Epstein’s estate executors complied with their subpoena.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer has scheduled testimony from Hillary Clinton for October 9, followed by Bill Clinton on October 14. Several former attorneys general and two ex-FBI directors are also expected to provide evidence during the fall hearings.
Trump has consistently denied association with the drawing bearing his signature and maintains that he fell out with Epstein after the financier allegedly attempted to recruit employees from his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. The President has acknowledged previous social interactions with Epstein during the 1990s and early 2000s but emphasizes their relationship deteriorated well before Epstein’s legal troubles.
The Morning Joe hosts’ criticism highlights the challenge facing Trump’s administration in dismissing the allegations as partisan attacks when the primary reporting comes from traditionally conservative media outlets. Scarborough’s emphasis on the Wall Street Journal’s conservative ownership structure undermines claims of Democratic conspiracy in the story’s emergence and continued coverage.
